Signaling apparatus.



C. A. STEVENSON & J. MOYES.

SJGNAUNGAFPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DiC. I3, 1913.

1 ,21 8,225 Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- pnrrnn srnins PATENT orrron.

CHARLES ALEXANDER STEVENSON, 0F EDINBURGH, AND JOHN lVIOYES, 0F GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES ALEX- ANDER STEVENSON and JOHN MOYES, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Apparatus, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signaling apparatus of the type wherein audible and (or) visible signals are caused by the ignition of an explosive gas or gaseous mixture.

In the specification of our prior U. S. Patent No. 1,028,591 dated 4th June 1912, we described such-an apparatus (or gun as it is termed) for signaling purposes com prising means whereby the explosive gas or gaseous mixture was periodically exploded by means of electric sparking devices properly controlled, while the periodic supply of gas to theexplosion chamber was regulated by suitable pulsating appara'tus.

The main object of the present invention is to dispense with the electric ignition and to provide, in lieu thereof, a frictional ignition arrangement which is operable from a suitable moving part of the apparatus in such manner that the ignition of the vexplosive gas or mixture will take place automatically at the proper time, or times.

To the attainment of this end the invention consists in substantially the novel combinations hereinafter described and specified in the claims.

A form of the invention is illustrated, by way of example, on the drawings. appended hereto and forming part of this specification, and whereon:

Figure 1 is. an elevation, partly in section, of part of a signaling apparatus, illustrating a suitable form of explosion chamber, or gun, and a form of frictional ignition device and the manner of operating same. v

Fig. 2 is an end View of Fig. 1, partsbeing omitted for the sake of clearness.

fragmentary section, to, an

Fig. 3 is a enlarged scale, on the line X, X,'Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line Y, Y,

Fig. 3. a

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view.

The apparatus comprises a gasgenerator,

which is connected by a pipe 33 with a pulsatlng apparatus B, which may be of the .type known as Pintschs flasher or may be of other well known or suitable con,- struction. The pulsating apparatus B is connected, by means of. a pipe 34, with an explosion chamber, or gun, A and has a hollow rod or sleeve 35 attached, by means of a set screw 36 (see Fig. 1) or other suitable means, to the reciprocable rod 37 thereof. The hollow rod 35 has a wedge, shaped top 38 adapted 'to engage a beam lever 39 which is fulcrumed, at 40, to a support 41 and pin, jointed, at 42', to the arm 43 of an air pump C. In order to balance the beam lever 39 a balance weight 44 is suspended therefrom at the end oppo- 7 site to the arm of the air pump C.

The air pump C may be of any suitable 7 46, to which is attached the aforesaid arm 43, an inner casing and dome 47 and a liquid seal 48. A suction pipe 49 (see also Fig. 2) having, preferably, a gauze cover or guard 50 over the outer end thereof, communicates. with the atmosphere. Adischarge pipe 57 extends from the inner casing of the air pump C, to the explosion chamber, or gun A.

The explosion chamber or gun A may be of the form describedin our aforesaid prior patent specification or of cylindrical or other convenient formation. For example, it may be made as illustrated at Fig. 1 of the drawings appended hereto and having a sounding plate, or other sound intensifier, 60, supported at a suitable distance above the mouth thereof, by means of bolts 61, from a flange 15, on the explosion chamber, or'gun A. Theend,'or muzzle, of the explosion chamber, or gun, is, preferably, surrounded by a number of, concentrically arranged wire guards. ,62, attached to an annular plate 63 supported on a plate 64 which is secured between flanges 65, or in any other suitable manner.

wArranged in close communication with the explosion chamber A is a sparking chamber 4 having a spindle 5, carrying a disk 6 of emery, or other suitable abrasive material, rotatably mounted therein. The spindle 5 projects. some distance beyond the end of the sparking chamber remote from the explosion chamber A and is journaled in a plate 7, secured to the chamber A, and a bracket 8 mounted on the plate 7. A cam plate 9 (see Fig. 2) is loosely mounted on the end of the spindle projecting beyond the bracket 8 and has a spring pressed pawl 10 pivoted thereto and engaging a ratchet wheel 11 fast on the spindle 5. A spring 12 connects the cam plate 9 with a bracket 13 adjustably mounted between guides 14 on the plate 7. Secured to the plate 7 is a second bracket 16 having sleeves 17 projecting from the upper and lower sides thereof, both bracket and sleeves having a slot 18 therethrough for the passage of a spring pressed trigger 19 (see enlarged view Fig. 5) yield ably mounted on a slidable rod 20 attached to the beam lever 39.

The sparking chamber A has, preferably, a two-way branch or union 39 communicating with the interior thereof and with which pipes 58 and 59, communicating with the pipes 57 and 34, respectively, or with the air pump and pulsating apparatus direct, are connected, and a cock 31 at the bottom there of to admit of the discharge of any dust or grit formed by the action of the abrasive disk on the sparking material.

Detachably secured to the top of the sparking chamber A is a bush or sleeve 21 (see particularly Fig. 3) from which extends a tube 22 having a slot 23 (see also Fig. A) extending the entire length thereof. A rod (or rods) 24 of sparking material is (or are) inserted in the sleeve 21 and may extend some distance into the tube 22 and be pressed into frictional contact with the disk 6 of abrasive material by means of a weighted yoke 25 embracing the tube 22 and having a pair of lugs 26 thereon between which a lag 27, projecting through the slot 23 and attached to the top of a short rod 28, bearing on the rod 24: of sparking material, is secured by a bolt 29 or other fastening device.

Cocks or valves are fitted to the gas and air pipes where required.

The apparatus is set in operation by the opening of the gas valve, whereupon gas flows from the generator, reservoir or the like, by way of the pipe 83 to the pulsating apparatus B, from which it is discharged, in measured quantities and at regular intervals, along the pipe 34 to the explosion chamber, or gun, A. While in the pulsating apparatus, the gas causes the rod 37 to reciprocate and thereby rock the beam lever 39 and cause the reciprocation of the bell l6, which, therefore, periodically draws in a measured quantity of air, through the pipe 49, from the atmosohere and forces the same b wa of the pipe 57 to the explosion chamber, or gun,

A. A portion of each charge of air and gas will flow along the pipes 58 and 59 to the sparking chamber and form a priming mixture therein adapted to be ignited by the ignition device and, in turn, to ignite the main charge of gas and air in the explosion chamher, or gun, A.

The rod 20 will be reciprocated by the oscillation of the beam lever 89 and, at each upward stroke thereof, the trigger 19 is depressed by the cam plate 9 and passes without displacing the'same but, at each downward stroke, said trigger will depress the cam plate against the action of the spring 12. This displacement of the cam plate 9 causes the pawl 10 to ride over the ratchet wheel 11 until the rod 20 has carried the trigger clear when, acting under the influence of the spring 12, the cam plate 9 rapidly returns to its original position, thereby sharply rotating the ratchet wheel 11 and the spindle 5 fast thereto. This rotation of the spindle 5 causes the abrasive disk 6 to rub sharply across the rod 24 of sparking material which transmits a number of sparks, thereby igniting the explosive mixture in the sparking chamber A which, in turn, ignites the mixture in the explosion chamber A. This periodic ignition in the chambers 4t and A will continue for so long as gas is ad mitted to the pulsating apparatus B, and is synchronized with the supply of gas and air so as to take place at the desired intervals and when the full charges are in the chambers A and A.

The aforedescribed cycle of operations continues for so long as gas is supplied to the pulsating apparatus B.

lVhen oxygen is used to form, with the combustible gas, the explosive mixture, the suction pipe 49 is suitably connected with an oxygen cylinder instead of with the atmosphere as shown.

Having now fully described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination; an explosion chamber, pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas periodically thereto, means, operable from the pulsating apparatus, for supplying air periodically to the explosion chamber, an ignition device for effecting the ignition of the mixture in the explosion chamber, and means for eriodically operating said ignition device from said pulsating apparatus.

2. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, an explosion chamber, pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas periodically thereto, a pump, operable from the pulsating apparatus, for supplying air periodically to the explosion chamber, an ignition device for effecting the ignition of the mixture in the explosion chamber and means for periodically operating said ignition device from said pulsating apparatus.

3. An apparatus of the character stated,

comprising, in combination, an explosion chamber,-pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas periodically thereto, pump means, operable from the pulsating apparatus, for supplying air periodically to the explosion chamber, an ignition device for effecting the ignition of the mixture in the explosion chamber and means for periodically operating said ignition device from said pulsating apparatus.

4. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, an explosion chamber With sound intensifier thereon, pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas.

periodically thereto, means, operable from the pulsating apparatus, for supplying air periodically to the explosion chamber, an ignition device for effecting the ignition of the mixture in the explosion chamber and means for periodically operating said ignition device from said pulsating apparatus.

5. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, an explosion chamber With guards thereon, pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas periodically thereto, means, operable from the pulsating .apparatus, for supplying airperiodically to the explosion chamber, an lgnition device for effecting the ignition of the mixture in.

the explosion chamber and means for periodically operating said ignition device from said pulsating apparatus.

6. An apparatus of thecharacter stated, comprising, in combination, an explosion chamber with concentric guards thereon, pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas periodically thereto, means, operable from the pulsating apparatus, for supplying air vice in connection With the explosion cham her and means actuated by said lever to operate the sparking device and ignite the supply of gas and air. 2

8. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, an explosion chamber,. pulsating apparatus adapted to supply gas periodically thereto, means operable from the pulsating apparatus for supplying a second gas periodically to the explosion chamber, a sparking chamber in communication With the first and second gas supplies and With the explosion chamber, a sparking device in the sparking chamber, and means for periodically operating said sparking device from said pulsating apparatus to efiect ignition of the gases in the explosion chamber.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES ALEXANDER STEVENSON. JOHN MOYES. Witnesses:

GEORGE COBB, JOHN G. MAOLEOD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

